Lewi the Swan passed away last Saturday.

A fixture in the ponds gracing the grounds of the Madigan Army Medical Center (MAMC), it appears the bird died of old age.  His age was estimated to be 17 years old.

Lewi had been a member of the MAMC community since January 1993.  An original resident of the hospital on Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Lewi has outlived two of his partners.

His current partner, Madi, survives him.

A "Name that Swan" competition was held in 1996, and the winning name was Lewi (in honor of Fort Lewis) for the male swan and Madi (in honor of Madigan) for the female swan.

Lewi and Madi are Mute Swans, which are native to northern and central Eurasia.  Introduced to North America more than a century ago to grace ponds and parks, the birds have a life expectancy of between 20 and 30 years.

While the birds are banned from Washington, MAMC has been granted a exception since it is located on a federal installation.  As a condition to keeping the swans, they both had their wings clipped and were sterilized.

Lewi and Madi have kept the Canadian Geese - noted for the aggressive behavior and messy habits - out of MAMC's ponds.

Efforts are currently underway to find another male Mute Swan.

A memorial service for Lewi is planned for February 23.